It’s exciting to get swept up in the journey of traveling or moving somewhere new, whether it involves trying new foods, learning more about a city, studying a beautiful language, or seeing some of the famous landmarks that you’d only previously heard about through books and TV. One major difference you may notice in a new locale is how people spend their money, as well as the financial customs that dictate what is normal or even legal.

People who are new to the United States may come across a number of expenses that surprise them, while people who are used to life in America would consider them the daily norm. What are some of the financial requirements in the U.S. that may seem brand new to foreigners?

Tipping Servers and Drivers

You’re finishing up a delicious meal with your friends or family when the server brings over the check. Wait a minute, what’s that blank line doing there after the total? It’s time to leave a tip, of course!

Generally speaking, you should tip at least 15 percent, though up to 20 percent, and even 25 for exceptional service, is not unusual. American bars and restaurants usually pay their staff well below minimum wage, so tips are a crucial component of how servers make ends meet. Without the help of your server, you never would have experienced that delicious basket of fries, learned more about the specials of the week, or quenched your thirst with three glasses of ice-cold water. Anything below 15 percent for a dining experience that included tableside service is considered rude, so diners should mentally factor in the tip as a normal part of the overall bill so it doesn’t come as a shock at the end.

The same principle applies when you reach your destination by cab, or pick up the phone to order pizza. It’s considered polite and fair to tip your driver, delivery person, or server every time, whether you include it on your card or set aside cash to cover tips.

Health Insurance

It’s important to take care of your mind and body, and it’s equally important to note that your healthcare rates are probably going to be higher in the U.S. than in many countries around the world. In fact, according to Consumer Reports, healthcare costs approximately twice as much in the U.S. than in other developed countries, person per person. Researching and finding the best insurance plan for your lifestyle and needs is a good place to start. According to a 2016 Forbes interview, it’s critical to consider deductibles, which hospitals and specialists are included in a potential plan, and shop around even after you’ve gotten the first round of answers. Your body will surely thank you when it’s time to visit the doctor.

Car Insurance

There are many locations in the U.S. where having a reliable vehicle is absolutely crucial, whether you face a daily commute to work, want to visit friends, or intend to embark on a good old-fashioned road trip. Buying a car, truck, SUV, or van is the first step, but drivers also need to make sure that they’re covered in case of an unforeseen event. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, there were 6.3 million police-reported crashes in 2015, a 3.8 percent annual increase over the previous year.

How does the United States compare to other countries in terms of auto insurance? Some countries, like South Africa, where up 65 percent of South African drivers are uninsured, simply don’t require auto insurance. This puts a lot of risk on everyone who uses the roads, and drives up transportation costs for everyone. In the United Kingdom, car insurance is mandatory but drivers generally pay less. In 2013, drivers in the U.K. paid the equivalent of $546 annually, whereas some drivers in the United States paid over $2,000 that year.

Auto insurance requirements vary around the globe, but one thing is clear: having a solid insurance policy behind you can absolutely be a life—or bank account—saver when you’re on the road in the U.S. There is a spectrum of coverage types, ranging from comprehensive collision to minimum liability, and rules vary by state. Drivers who diligently compare car insurance quotes can make sure they incorporate insurance into their budget without sacrificing in other areas.

Now you know more about some of the quirky monetary customs that U.S. citizens are used to that may cause some foreigners to freak out at first. In case anyone is starting to imagine their bank statements inching up thanks to insurance and tipping, just remember that at the very least, it’s very uncommon to encounter a pay toilet in the United States.

These days the attention span of most people is very short. We are used to ignoring most of the information we come across simply because we are bombarded by the influx of so much data. This means that advertising a business is harder than ever as well. In the past, all you needed to do is to distribute some leaflets in your neighbourhood and you were done with the task, but while some people still choose to do it the strategy won’t work on the Internet.

One way to attract attention to your business is with the help of an explainer video. Every business needs this sort of video because it can and will:

-Clarify the objective of your business and explain to your potential customers what it is all about.
-Rank you better is various search engines. It is proven that websites that have videos on them rank better.
-Increase the chances of selling your product. It is proven that people are more likely to buy something after seeing an accompanying explainer video first.
-Catch the attention of your potential customers. As I explained before, people have rather short attention spans and we need to be able to do everything we can in order to make them interested.

If I were given a chance to advertise a business, I would straight to this particular person who creates some great explainer videos. The videos are eye catching and absolutely stunning. They are all hand drawn with no Google images being inserted anywhere. You can check how genuine they are by checking the hourlie yourself. I am sure you are going to get hooked in no time and hopefully you will get your business to benefit from an amazing hand-drawn video that is very entertaining to watch. I strongly recommend that you view them to get a sample what explainer videos have in store for you.

There are few things that we all want when we are talking about business. More time, more resources and – usually – more money. While it’s often the case that we look to the outside for more funding for our business, often some great rewards can be uncovered from within if you just know where to look!

A very simple example of how you can save a great deal of money with your business is to make the shift to a virtual office. A virtual office still gives you the benefit of a bricks and mortar office space, without the huge financial commitment for a commercial lease. With a virtual office you enjoy the best bits of a prestige address and none of the financial burden.

Let’s take a look at a few more ways to save money and boost your business financially.Recover your debts
When you’re looking to get some more money fast the quickest and easiest way you can do this is to recoup some of your old debts. Chase up as many of the payments that you are owed as possible. If you don’t have the time available to you to chase up your debts, then maybe you need to enlist the services of a debt collection agency to help out. Make sure you contracts and conditions of sale are up to date so you can chase people effectively.

Sort out your expenses

As we mentioned above, it’s important to reduce costs wherever you can – and a great way to do this is with a virtual office. Another way you can do it is to go onto a payment plan for larger expenses, to switch up your insurance to try and get a better deal, or to switch to a cheaper supplier for consumables.

Sell some assets

If you have a bunch of assets sitting around, you might consider offloading some to get some cash coming in.

Have a discount sale

If you’re looking to get some cash coming in, you might like to offer markdowns or have a sale on full price items to get some more cash coming in to your business.

Increase your prices
Another option to get cash flow – albeit not a hugely popular one with the customers – is to offer an increase in prices. If you do it correctly it can be a good option.

Consolidate your debt

If you have a lot of debt at the moment see if you are able to combine it all into a low interest and low rate amount. If you’re thinking about refinancing your current debt, make sure you shop around and get the best possible price.

Invest some of your own money

It seems counterintuitive – but investing your own money can be a good way to get more investment from others.

Growing your business is a balancing act where you need to ensure that you have enough cash flow and suitable asset management to make sure that you can stay afloat even in tough times. By implementing some of these tips and working with your financial team to make sure you’re on top of things you’re sure to experience success. Good luck with it all – and enjoy the ride.

Once your business reaches a certain point on the market, you will begin to think about expansion. You will want to take your company to the next step on the market. How can you do this and what decisions will you need to make? Before we answer these questions let’s look at the advantages and the dangers of a business expansion such as this.

The main advantage is that once your business expands you will be in the perfect position to make greater levels of profit. Your company will attract more consumers and customers willing and able to buy from you. You might also attract the interest of investors and find new business leads. This is particularly important when you are running a B2B model.

However, expanding could also make your business less competitive on the market. It’s the equivalent of putting on a little extra weight. You’re going to struggle to win any races if you get fat. This is exactly what an expansion could mean for your business and that’s why you need to approach the possibility the right way. Do this and your business will blossom beautifully. Don’t and you will struggle to find your place on the market. Now, let’s look at how you should approach your business expansion.

The first thing you must consider is whether or not there is a demand for your business to expand. For instance, you might be growing your company in a new region. This can be useful as it will allow you to tap into an untouched market. But, at the same time, you may find that there is no demand for your product in that particular area. If that’s the case, your business expansion could be doomed from the start. Without the right level of demand your company will almost certainly struggle to perform.

That is why you should be checking for levels of demand before you consider expanding. Ideally, you should hire a marketing expert. They will be able to check whether the type of expansion that you’re considering could lead to increased profits. Or, if you would be better expanding in a different location.

You may also find that you need to change the products or services that you offer in a chosen region. For instance, Haribo is a popular sweet brand that has taken off across the world. The sweets contain beef gelatine. In the middle east, the sweets sold are made from halal beef. This is to encourage people of different cultures to consume them and it has worked well. They aren’t the only business in the world that has adopted this practice either. As such, you may find that changing your product could be beneficial for your market performance.

It is dangerous to attempt to expand your business and then consider demand. It should always be the other way around. Otherwise, there is every possibility you never find the demand that you need to be a success on the market. In fact, the level of success that you previously gained could ultimately be lost. Don’t forget that when you expand you will have higher costs to cope with. If the demand isn’t there to account for this, your company will fail.

Efficiency must be on point, turnaround needs to be fast and performance needs to be at an optimum level. These are the three targets that you will have to meet for your business to be a success. If you want to make sure that you hit these targets, there’s only one solution that you must consider. You need to invest in new technology. Cloud tech, a fantastic computer network setup and equipment that processes at rapid speeds are all essential. If you think this sounds like a lot of money down the drain, you’re only half right.

Investing in tech like this will allow you to put your business in a prime position to perform on the market. It will stop you needing to worry that as your business expands, your business dwindles in quality. Customers and clients won’t put up with that and you shouldn’t expect them to. Investing in new tech may be expensive, but there is an easy solution. You can use an IT outsourcing service. With outsourced IT you can everything we have just discussed for a fraction of the cost. You can also guarantee that if there is any problems with this tech the issue is resolved as quickly as possible. An IT team will provide you with 24/7 support that you can count on.

When your business expands you will be investing in the services of new employees. You must make sure that they are on the same level as your old team. Again, this is about retaining the same level of quality. If you can’t do that customers will notice and they will take action. Rather than buying from you, they will look for a business that can provide what they actually need. Again, hiring more workers is another expense but there’s also a way around this too. You can hire freelancers. With freelancers, you do have to pay the cost of additional workers. But you don’t take on the responsibilities or risks that more employees bring to your business model. Essentially, you keep your company streamlined and effective, driving force.

You can even think about avoiding more hires altogether. It is possible for business owners to instead use automated tech and other advanced equipment in the place of more workers. This has happened in a number of industries and there is nothing stopping yours being next. For instance, rather than hiring workers to answer the phones you can use automated software. It will save your business a fortune and keep your company efficient throughout the expansion.

Take this advice and your company will blossom beautifully through your expansion. You’ll be able to grow the business without the typical trials that business owners experience during this time.

A weekly shopping trip for groceries includes food and basic hygiene items at different stores. There are tissues, toilet paper, feminine products, and cleaners, for instance. Americans with the discipline to follow a plan are saving money on their regular grocery bills with all or some of the ideas below (or see this list of coupons).

Plan Meals

Go out with an idea of what you will eat Monday through Saturday, at least, maybe leave Sunday as a “free day” where you treat yourself to something unexpected. It’s a burden to be always planning, planning, planning. Everyone needs a bit of spontaneity in their lives. They also need to know there are meals prepared ahead of time in case someone gets sick or an emergency arises. When planning meals, make at least one of them double-sized and immediately separate the dish in half. If you don’t, there’s the temptation among family members to go back for big, heaping seconds instead of more salad.

Prepare Healthy Snacks

A healthy snack is a plate of sliced carrots and cucumbers, not chips or chocolate. It is a nourishing combination of carbohydrates and protein that will fill you up between meals and fend off that hangry feeling. The best carbohydrates for the job are not refined ones made with flour, sugar, and margarine but whole foods. Baked items are fine as treats once in a while, but daily snacks like fruit and vegetables with a spoonful of peanut butter, a handful of nuts and seeds, or a big slice of cheese go a lot further. You feel fuller, faster, especially when the snack is paired with a glass of water or a cup of herbal tea on a cold day. Processed snacks leave you hungry and cost more money than real food. If snacks are chopped up ready to go at the start of the week, you’ll be unlikely to dive for junk during a long day. Keep sealed containers full of good things so that members of the household aren’t tempted to buy French fries and cheese twists.

Big Buys

Most of the foods you eat daily cannot be purchased online. Perishables such as meat, chicken, milk, and produce should be fresh from the grocery or farm market, even your own garden, if possible. Items such as laundry and dish-washing soap, feminine pads and tampons, shampoo, soap, and toilet tissue will last a long time in the cupboard. Can you make space? If so, order a lot of such items from online stores that reward consumers for ordering big volumes. They will deliver or ship your order for free if the bill is above a certain dollar amount. Calculate price per item too to ensure you are getting the very best price and a local bulk dealer like Costco can’t do it for less.

Join a Discount Store

Some stores, like Costco, sell membership, but consumers get their money back quickly, especially if they are providing for a large family. Take advantage of their free samples to fill up and avoid a trip to the food court at a local mall.

Use Coupons

A number of coupons really make a difference if you are still buying cereal and yogurt and haven’t managed to wean kids onto oatmeal or a healthy alternative to something made primarily with flour, sugar, and air. Yogurts are typically full of sugar, but they are better than custard and pudding, at least. Many dairy and cereal companies provide coupons which can be printed from the internet, cut from cereal boxes, or redeemed via Smartphone with an appropriate app. Even if you shop at regular grocery stores, the internet can come in handy for saving money.

Stay Away from Fast Food

It’s not just greasy and bad for you; fast food is expensive. Sure, there are places that make sandwiches, wraps, and salads, but anything substantial or healthy tends to cost more than a bun full of processed meat and cheese. As for soup and a salad, stores charge more than double what you would pay to make them at home. Usually, a fast-food soup option is the powdered stuff you overlooked at the supermarket because of its salt and MSG. Don’t pay double to eat something you avoid at the grocery store.

When an event is coming up that usually forces you out of the kitchen, prepare ahead of time. Create fillings for sandwiches from nut butters and honey, cooked chicken and salad, and keep containers on hand plus cutlery and plates. Compile salads or build sandwiches from a cooler during hockey practice.

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I am a work from home mom who discusses topics related to business, entrepreneurship, and finance. I struggled with financial difficulties and bankruptcy, so I want to share with you how I overcame these problems! Thanks for visiting!